Mission Local is tracking Daniel Lurie’s appointments on a live page here, where you can see the comings and goings at the major city departments and the mayor’s office as they happen.
This morning Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie appointed Paul Yep, a former San Francisco Police Department commander and current member of Lurie’s transition team, to become chief of public safety in the mayor’s office, a new position coordinating a multitude of criminal-justice services aimed at community and neighborhood safety.
Yep is the second of four new policy chiefs to be named. Earlier, Lurie appointed Ned Segal, most recently the chief financial officer of Twitter, as chief of housing and economic development. He has not yet appointed a chief of public health or a chief of infrastructure, climate and mobility.
“Paul has dedicated his career to keeping San Franciscans safe, and there is no one better for this critical job,” Lurie said in a press release on the appointment. “Together, we will support our law enforcement and ensure that every resident, worker, and visitor is safe in our city.”
Before his new role, Yep, who retired from the SFPD in 2023 after 28 years, served in district stations across the city and as a commanding officer. An alumnus of Lowell High School and San Francisco State University, Yep was born and raised in San Francisco.
Yep was an early Lurie supporter, and a key bridge into local Chinese communities, one vital to Lurie’s election. He is well-known in those communities, and his appointment is likely to reassure Asian leaders that Lurie takes their concerns seriously.
Anni Chung, president and chief executive officer of Self-Help for the Elderly, a community-based organization for mostly immigrant and monolingual Asian seniors, pointed out as much in the press release, calling Yep a “trusted ally of the Chinese community.”
As an SFPD commander, Yep would sometimes take the lead at town halls that followed a police shooting.
His newly minted position places him in charge of coordinating multiple departments: Adult Probation, Police Accountability, Department of Emergency Management, the Fire Department, Sheriff Inspector General, Juvenile Probation, Police Department, Victim and Witness Rights, according to the press release.
“He will also serve as the administration’s point of contact with the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney, and the Public Defender,” the release said.
Will the term “public safety” ever be used to describe protection from the main danger we all face: being run over and killed or severely injured by cars? No one in power seems to care. Pedestrians are regarded as large wingless pigeons expected to flutter out of the way, while inordinate resources are used to attack homeless people, even though no one has ever been run over by a tent.
How about ticketing all the bike riders who ride on sidewalks block traffic ,and do not obey traffic laws.They need to pay for their usage of roads.Defund the bike coalition.
“Pedestrians are regarded as large wingless pigeons expected to flutter out of the way” – I trust you have a distinction for jaywalkers and people lying in the street strung out on synthetic opiates. Or dementia patients who escape managed care.
Not your typical payback appointment. According to various news and community sources, Yep was a highly regarded officer not just in the Chinese community. He, along with another Asian American officer (not sure of name) retired early just a few months shy of getting full retirement benefits after they were passed up for promotion. Probably felt indignant. He began to support Lurie when Lurie was an unknown candidate low in poll numbers seemingly had little chance of winning, and without endorsements from the usual Asian influential leaders & clubs.
100% baloney. Lurie was always a favorite to win this election. It is payback, nothing wrong with it. But classic payback and liaison for the Chinatown community. Yep is virtually unknown outside of it.
It was always a Farelll vs. Breed even until the end polls were changing after Peskin joined. Lurie gained much later toward the end peeling away Farrell support after his self funded heavy media campaign, and adding some well connected campaign staff. Yep was as known as many law enforcements who were often in the media. He was known to be community based. Again, Lurie was not endorsed by the Asian /Chinatown powers – just some art groups and a few leader & merchants. Chinese are not only in Chinatown, he got votes across the city – Portola, viz valley, Richmond, Sunset, Outer mission, etc.. also not just from Asians. I think Lurie needs Yep more than he needs Lurie. I just looked, he’s a vice president at the academy of art.
Try again. Farrell was the favorite to beat Breed until Lurie’s heavy self funded media campaign. His poll were low prior to that. Not all Chinese are in Chinatown, they are in Viz valley, Portola, outer Mission, Richmond, sunset. Lurie was not endorsed by the established Chinatown power & clubs, who now court him. There’s no payback to them. Lurie got votes from across the city, not just Chinese Americans. Yep was as known as other law enforcement members often in the media, noted in the article. He’s a vice president at the Academy of Art. Lurie needs him more than he needs Lurie.
1/3+ of the city population is Asian, it’s no surprise for this appointment to an Asian .
I had to break my comment that got zapped into smaller ones. Chinatown is not = to all Chinese Americans. Viz valley, Portola, outer Mission,Richmond, sunset all have heavy Chinese American populations. Farrel was favored to win. Lurie caught up later with his media ads.
Is that moderated in real time?
Farrell was the favorite to beat Breed until Lurie’s heavy self funded media campaign. His poll were low prior to that. Not all Chinese are in Chinatown, they are in Viz valley, Portola, outer Mission, Richmond, sunset. Lurie was not endorsed by the established Chinatown power & clubs. There’s no payback to them. Lurie got votes from across the city, not just Chinese Americans. Yep was as known as other law enforcement, noted in the article.
1/3+ of the city population is Asian, it’s no surprise for this appointment to an Asian .
Unclear on the concept:
Yeah – sure – J.E. is just sitting by the computer with baited breath awaiting all the brilliant and insightful observations coming his way.
In real time.
I always said, “Where did you work?” Never seen you before. I’ve seen him but they need to change the retirement system where only the ranks of lieutenants and below qualify for full retirement. Anyone who promotes to a chief level needs to knock their retirement down because they are not out on the streets dealing with the fentanyl and street markets and homeless. Only then, you will see where the real rats go.
Just what we need,more government .Maybe Lurie can pay salary and benefits and pension. Is that school for rich kids ?
It was always a Farelll vs. Breed even until the end polls were changing after Peskin joined. Lurie gained much later toward the end peeling away Farrell support after his self funded heavy media campaign, and adding some well connected campaign staff. Yep was as known as many law enforcements who were often in the media. He was known to be community based. Again, Lurie was not endorsed by the Asian /Chinatown powers – just some art groups and a few leader & merchants. Chinese are not only in Chinatown, he got votes across the city – Portola, viz valley, Richmond, Sunset, Outer mission, etc.. also not just from Asians. I think Lurie needs Yep more than he needs Lurie. I just looked, he’s a vice president at the academy of art.
Yep is now a Vice president at the Academy of Art. Lurie needs him more than vice versa .
Farrell was favored to be at Breed. Lurie was way behind until his media campaign.